


Lost and Found

by Myoneloveismusic



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Getting Together, Love Confessions, M/M, Mutual Pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-09
Updated: 2020-02-09
Packaged: 2021-02-27 18:54:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22640596
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Myoneloveismusic/pseuds/Myoneloveismusic
Summary: Keith and Shiro are both in love with each other but aren't willing to confess to each other in case it destroys their friendship. Until Keith is sent on a deep cover mission and goes missing. Shiro is quick to go search for him and finally gets the push he needs to go after what he wants.
Relationships: Keith/Shiro (Voltron)
Comments: 8
Kudos: 100





	Lost and Found

**Author's Note:**

> I started this back in September and then things happened, I couldn't write, then when I could write, I didn't have the motivation, and now we're here and I've finally managed to finish this fic. I'm so happy to share it with everyone and I hope you enjoy it despite it taking so long to get here. 
> 
> <3 MOLIM

“So, what did you want to-” 

“I’m leaving.” 

Shiro paused. The statement was so abrupt it made him pause. 

“What?” he blurted. 

Keith ducked his head, his cheeks turning a light shade of pink. “I’m leaving. For a while. The Blade has a mission for me. A long one actually. I won’t be able to communicate as freely.” 

“Oh,” Shiro murmured, feeling like his world had just been turned on its axis and he was struggling to find his equilibrium again. Keith going on missions was common. This wasn’t new, but the idea that he wouldn’t be coming back within a few weeks or months or that they wouldn’t be able to chat with each other, had something twisting uncomfortably in his stomach. 

“It’s a cover mission,” Keith continued, his urge to babble and cover up the awkward silence winning out. “I’ll be doing recon at a Galra base that’s still active. We’re going to use the information to see what reach the resistant factions still have and work to neutralize it.” 

“It sounds like a good experience for you. Good luck, Keith,” Shiro said, trying to force a smile. He reached out and pulled Keith into a tight hug. 

Keith huffed and squeezed him back. 

“I’ll be waiting for you when you get back.” 

“Sure,” Keith murmured. 

Shiro pulled back and gave Keith one last onceover, squeezing his shoulders. 

Keith nodded, his gaze lingering on Shiro before he stepped away, breaking Shiro’s hold on him. Shiro’s eyes stayed on his back as he disappeared through the doors to the Garrison. 

Shiro let out a deep breath and turned his gaze to the stars. Keith would be up there soon and he would be able to do nothing but wait. 

~~

_ Keith swallowed as he stepped onto the Blade’s ship with his bag over his shoulder. Krolia pointed him towards an adjacent hallway where his room was located. He nodded at her and went to put his things away.  _

_ He shut the door behind him and dropped his bag on the slim bed. He took a deep breath, trying to calm the ache in his chest that was just starting. He knew it was only going to get worse over the coming months as his devastation grew that he was spending so long away from Shiro.  _

_ It really shouldn’t matter considering Shiro didn’t like him like that. He was the only one hopelessly pining in their friendship and he’d spent years burying his feelings so as not to lose the friendship he’d gained.  _

_ This was a chance to get over him. It was time for him to move on. He couldn’t be in love with Shiro forever and this was his chance. He’d focus on a mission, bury his feelings and forget about Shiro until he had to return since any mistake would result in deadly consequences.  _

_ “Keith?” Krolia asked at the door. “Is everything okay?”  _

_ “Fine, Mom,” he said, straightening. “I’m just getting changed for the trip. I’ll be out in a tick.”  _

_ “Okay. Meet us at the table. We’re going to go over the specifics of the mission before we head out.”  _

~~

Shiro stared at his computer screen. He’d been trying to read the same page of his report for an hour, but nothing was clicking as his mind swirled with thoughts of Keith. It had only been a day since he left, but he already felt the impact of the distance between them. 

Shiro expected to turn around at any moment and see Keith coming down the hallway towards him. Sometimes he’d forget Keith was gone and would think about inviting him to lunch or to the training room for a sparring session, but he was never there. He’d have to wait before they’d be able to hang out again. 

He sighed and turned his chair to face the windows. The sun was slowly crawling towards the horizon. He pinched the bridge of his nose, trying not to fixate on the idea of watching the sky tonight and hoping for some sign from Keith. 

Keith was lightyears away from him. He was on a sensitive mission. He wasn’t going to risk anything just to send a message to him. 

That was just wishful thinking on his part. 

~~

_ Keith’s back was rigid as he moved through the narrow halls of the base. He would’ve felt more comfortable on his own, but he was surrounded by a pack of Galra soldiers as they marched in formation.  _

_ This wasn’t the first time he’d had to infiltrate a dangerous Galra base, but most other missions were short-term, get in and get the information and get out. He didn’t have to pose as anyone. He didn’t have to ignore his usual reactionary behavior to make sure his cover wasn’t blown.  _

_ Any slip could mean death. Any suspicion could blow his cover. He couldn’t get distracted. He had to survive this. He wasn’t a hero right now. That would come later.  _

_ He just had to keep putting one foot in front of the other. He had to keep his head down. Stay out of sight.  _

_ He had an hour before his first transmission was due. He would be done doing rounds in twenty minutes. He’d already scoped out where he was going to send it. He was ready. Things would be okay.  _

_ One foot in front of the other. Keep an eye on the Galra surrounding him. He’d survive this. He’d make sure of it.  _

~~

Shiro looked up from the report he was signing when his video link beeped. He frowned at seeing Krolia’s name. He knew she was with Keith, monitoring his mission and couldn’t think of any reason why she would be calling him. 

He pressed the accept button and sat back in his chair. 

“Krolia,” he greeted, a little surprised at how tired she looked. “Is everything alright?” 

She sighed and shook her head. “I’m afraid not. We’ve run into an issue and I’m hoping you might be able to help us.” 

“What happened?” he asked, straightening. “Is Keith okay?” 

Shiro’s stomach dropped when she hesitated. 

“He’s missing,” she admitted. 

Shiro blinked, feeling panic creeping in at the edges of his mind. 

“He was doing fine. There weren’t any problems with him sending his reports at our predetermined times. He didn’t catch any murmurings that they noticed suspicious activity on the base. But a couple of days ago he activated his distress beacon.” 

“Do you know what happened?” 

She shook her head. “That’s what we’ve been trying to figure out. We weren’t able to intercede once the beacon went off and when we tried tracking him on the surface of the planet, we found his torn suit and communications equipment in a ravine.” 

Shiro’s stomach twisted and his vision narrowed on Krolia. “Do you know if he’s still alive?” he croaked, trying to keep his breathing even. 

“We think so,” she sighed. “His knife wasn’t with the rest of his things. If he was dead, I think it would’ve been discarded with everything else. At this point we’re not sure if he’s still on the planet or not. We’re worried he might have been taken somewhere else and a search that goes to that lengths isn’t something we have the resources for at the moment.” 

“You have me,” Shiro blurted. “Me and Atlas. I’ll give you everything I can to help find Keith and bring him back safely.” 

Krolia smiled, looking a little less tired and weary. “Thank you, Shiro. I appreciate it more than you know. Do you know how soon you can be here?” 

“I’ll go speak with Admiral Iverson immediately and let you know. We’re going to find him, I promise.” 

“You’re a good man, Shiro. I can see why Keith was drawn to you.” 

Shiro nodded, not quite registering what her words could mean. “I’ll go and speak with Iverson and get you an update as soon as I can.” 

“Thank you, Shiro. Talk to you soon.” 

Shiro nodded and ended the call. He bolted from his chair and sprinted out the door, skidding around the corner to get to Iverson’s office as quickly as possible. 

~~

_ Keith froze as an alarm started to blare overhead. He waited, listening for any kind of announcement that was coming to let them know what to do.  _

_ “Attention. Intruder alert. Attention. Intruder alert. Subdue by any means necessary. Intruder is masking as one of the newest visitors. Has been going by the name of Kearn. Again, subdue by any means necessary.”  _

_ “Shit,” Keith hissed under his breath. He pulled his knives free and set off the distress beacon on his communicator.  _

_ He spun on his heel and sprinted down the hall, knowing he needed to get out as quickly as possible. He turned the corner and choked when someone barrelled into him. He curled into a ball, bracing himself as he hit the floor and rolled several times.  _

_ “Where do you think you’re going imposter?” the man growled. “You’re not getting out of this base alive.”  _

_ Keith wiped the back of his hand across his mouth and glared at the man towering over him.  _

_ “That’s what you think.”  _

_ He pushed himself forward, ducking under the second swing aimed at him. He dragged his blade along the man’s side, earning a grunt as blood spilled free.  _

_ Something slammed into his back, sending him rolling along the floor again.  _

_ “I forgot how much it sucks fighting without Kosmo,” he grunted, getting to his feet. He turned and dodged the next fist, putting as much distance as he could between them.  _

_ “Don’t let him escape!”  _

_ Keith heard pounding feet ahead of him. A sea of Galra crashed around the corner, laser blasts going wide around him. The crowd didn’t offer much space to get through or move around it and considering this was his only way out he didn’t have much of a choice where to go.  _

_ He was feeling pretty stupid for not having an escape plan in place.  _

_ Keith spun out of the way of one of the laser blasts, barely managing to miss the brunt of the blast. It grazed the side of his calf and he winced at the burn. He swiped with his knife, grinning when he caught the side of another gun. He dragged his knife through the metal, pulling it free and shoving against the soldiers next to him as it exploded.  _

_ He grunted as he was thrown against the wall, chest tight as the breath forced itself from his lungs. The soldier holding the gun screamed and Keith willed himself to get his bearings and get out before the rest of them could get the jump on him.  _

_ He staggered, nearly tripping over a body next to him. The first few rows of people had been knocked back from the blast. The rest of the soldiers looked unharmed and pissed off.  _

_ Keith ducked when a new wave of fire blew over his head. A shot caught him in the back of the shoulder and he grunted, trying to ignore the searing pain that accompanied it.  _

_ If the group of soldiers behind him wasn’t bad enough, he heard the tell-tale sounds of pounding boots coming from up ahead. He would be swamped by more people than he could dream of fending off. For the first time in his life, panic clouded his judgment.  _

_ He didn’t want to die here. He wanted to be able to go back to Earth. He wanted to see Shiro again and do some of the mundane things they always seemed to fall together with.  _

_ Keith glanced around and shoved through a doorway into a large conference room. He gasped when something caught his leg. He looked back and spotted the hilt of a dagger sticking out of his calf.  _

_ He grunted and hurried over to the window. He shoved his shoulder against, feeling himself thumping uselessly against it.  _

_ “Halt!”  _

_ Keith glanced over his shoulder at the Galra pouring through the door. He slammed his shoulder against the window willing it to give.  _

_ “Aim!”  _

_ His eyes went wide at the row of gun barrels staring him down.  _

_ “Fire!”  _

_ He threw up his arms trying to shield himself from the blast. He staggered backward under the barrage of shots. The window shattered behind him and Keith tripped, falling into open space.  _

_ He gasped, trying to catch something that would slow his fall. One of the Galra stuck their head through the window. He got one last look before he slammed into something, his world going black.  _

_ ~~ _

Shiro sat up with a gasp, his heart beating a mile a minute in his chest. The last dredges of his nightmare dissipated, but that didn’t make him feel any better. He was worried. He was scared of what he might find once he reached the Galra base Keith had been working to infiltrate. 

He tried to cling to the hope Krolia gave him. They hadn’t found his knife. That meant he had to be alive. He had to be. 

He glanced at his clock, the blue light mocking him for the early hour. He knew he needed to rest. He was going to have a busy few weeks ahead of him and they would be leaving as soon as the sun was up, but he didn’t want to wait. He wanted to find Keith and bring him home. 

Shiro threw off the blanket that covered his legs and scrubbed his face with his hands. He sighed and closed his eyes. When he found Keith he was going to tell him how he felt. There was no use putting it off anymore. Not when there was a chance he might never see him again. 

~~

_ Keith groaned, everything ached and the voices around him were fuzzy. He fought to open his eyes and found an anxious looking man standing over him.  _

_ “You’re awake,” he whispered, glancing over his shoulder at the other two people sharing the room with him. “We were worried you might not make it.”  _

_ “What happened?” he croaked, throat dry.  _

_ “You fell out of a window from the Galra base. You sustained heavy injuries from their blasters and a knife wound in your leg. We have an old healing pod, but had to make sure you were awake before we could put you into it.”  _

_ “Why are you helping me?” he asked, trying to focus on the man’s face.  _

_ He smiled and relaxed, some of the tension he was carrying dissipating. “We remembered you. You didn’t come into our settlement often, but when you did, you weren’t cruel or mean like the other Galra. You helped some of us. Showing small acts of kindness that made you stand out from the other soldiers. We wanted to repay that kindness and help you, especially since the rest of the Galra were coming after you. We knew you couldn’t be a bad person if they so easily threw you out of a window.”  _

_ Keith nodded. “The healing pod, then? It’s sounding pretty good right now.”  _

_ “Sure, careful now.”  _

_ Keith struggled to sit up even with the help he offered. Everything hurt and for once in his life he wanted to curl up in a ball instead of trying to continue to fight. He wanted to rest. And he wanted Shiro.  _

_ He was relieved when he was loaded into the healing pod. Within seconds he was asleep, hoping to find some peace while his body recovered from the trials he’d put it through.  _

~~

Shiro stood anxiously aboard the Atlas. The small crew they’d employed were going through their pre-takeoff checks. They had their meeting point where they would rendezvous with the Blades, but Shiro wanted to go straight to the planet to start looking for Keith. He wanted to find him and bring him home. Anything else was just leaving Keith alone and at risk that much longer. 

He’d told the rest of the Paladins what was going on, but none of them were able to drop what they were doing on such short notice despite wanting to come find their friend. Shiro had easily agreed to send them updates as often as they could so they could stay updated on what was going on.

Maybe once they returned he could have a reunion and they could all sit down for dinner and enjoy some much-needed bonding time since they were all rarely together nowadays. 

“Captain Shirogane?” 

He cleared his throat and looked towards who’d spoken, hoping he didn’t appear as frazzled as he felt. 

“We’re ready to take-off, sir. Just waiting for your command.” 

He nodded. “Inform the Garrison ground crew and secure the hatch. Prepare for launch.” 

A distant humming rumbled from the lower floors of the Atlas as the engines warmed. Shiro braced his hands on the console in front of him and listened to his crew communicate with the operations team in the Garrison. 

He watched the platform retract from the side of the ship and watched as all entrances were secured. 

_ “Atlas you are ready for takeoff. Prepare to launch in 10, 9, 8, 7…”  _

Shiro swallowed as the countdown continued. All they needed to do was break free from Earth’s atmosphere. Thereafter they would jump through hyperspace to the coordinates Krolia sent them to meet the Blades. 

The engines increased power and they slowly rose from the ground, fighting against gravity. As they gained momentum, their exit was an easy one, having no issues as they broke through the upper levels of the atmosphere. 

“We are clear from Earth’s atmosphere. Powering up the jump gate.” 

The usual intergalactic gate opened in front of them, the familiar swirling colors opening warm arms to accept them. They breached the front of the gate, the light nearly blinding them. 

In the blink of an eye, they shot out in a far corner of the galaxy, Earth long behind them. 

Their communications line beeped and Shiro quickly accepted the call. Krolia’s face appeared on the screen. 

“Team Atlas, I’m glad to see you made the trip all right. Our ship will approach and we can discuss our plans for this search and rescue mission,” she explained. 

“We look forward to speaking with you Krolia,” Shiro said. “We will wait to board once you’ve approached.” 

“Of course. Our ETA is five ticks.” 

The call ended and Shiro pushed off from the console. He left the crew behind and made his way to the hatch he would board the Blades’ ship from. His anxiety and worry continued to grow now that he was left alone with his thoughts. He was closer to Keith than he’d been in weeks and he wasn’t even sure if he was going to find him alive. 

He really hoped he would. 

Something banged against the side of the ship. A few minutes passed before the hatch hissed and swung open. The opposite end of the bridge was connected to the Blade ship. Krolia stood in the opposite doorway waiting for him to cross. 

He let out a long breath and stepped out, covering the distance quickly. 

“Krolia,” he greeted. 

She smiled and pulled him into a hug. “It’s good to see you, Shiro. I hope your help will prove fruitful over the coming days.” 

He nodded, his throat tightening once again at the thought of possibly finding Keith dead and buried on the planet nearby. 

“Come,” she said, pulling away. “The rest of the crew is waiting.” 

Krolia led him through the winding halls of the ship. They reached a conference room where numerous hulking Galra sat in the chairs around an elongated table. Krolia gestured for Shiro to sit at the end and she moved to stand against the wall and observe. 

“Thank you for making it here so quickly, Captain Shirogane,” the head of the ship said, voice a low rumble from the opposite end of the table. 

“It was the least I could do. Keith is a dear friend of mine and I would like to see him return as much as the rest of you do.” 

“As you may know, we’ve found the tattered remains of the clothes he was wearing as well as the distress beacon he used to contact us. His blade is currently missing. Our scouting operations haven’t been successful as the Galra still seem to be on high alert after the attack.” 

“If I may,” Shiro hedged. “I’d like to request to go down and search for him myself.” 

“Are you suggesting we aren’t capable enough to carry out our missions?” one of the Blade members spoke up from the side of the table. 

Shiro quickly shook his head. “No, of course not. I didn’t mean to imply that I thought you incompetent. I’m simply speaking from the idea that it might be helpful to have a fresh set of eyes on the areas where you’ve looked. Plus…” He fought back a wince. “You may be hindered from interacting with the locals and gathering information from them since you can’t speak openly with them. Their outlook is tainted by the Galra at the base here. They have no reason to trust you when you look like the people who have hurt them.” 

The group was quiet, unable to argue with the frustrating truth of the situation. 

“Okay,” the captain said with a sigh. “None of us like it, but it’s our best chance of finding Keith. We’ll give you a full day’s cycle to look for him. Once that is up, you are to report back to this ship and we will plan another recon mission in the hopes of finding new leads. Does everyone understand?” 

He looked pointedly at Shiro who nodded quickly. That was more than enough time to find him. 

“We should get Captain Shirogane dressed in something less conspicuous before we send him down to the planet,” Krolia suggested from her spot against the wall. 

“I will leave that to you then,” the captain said. “Meet us at the pod once you’re done. Dismissed.” 

The Blade members at the table pushed their chairs back and filtered out of the room, leaving Shiro alone with Krolia. 

“Follow me, Shiro. I think we have some inconspicuous suits and cloaks that you can wear.” 

Shiro felt out of place as he was led further into the ship. This was a place Keith frequented. It was a part of his life that he hadn’t been privy to and now here he was, moving through this space to try and get him back. 

Krolia stopped at a supply closet. Shiro stood awkwardly in the doorway and waited as she dug through some storage containers. She pulled a spandex suit free and found another tan cloak to pair with it. 

She handed them to Shiro and instructed him to step inside to get changed. The suit was similar to the ones the Paladins wore under their Voltron suits and fit perfectly. He draped the cloak around his shoulders, keeping the hood back for now. 

Krolia led him back to the other side of a ship where an open pod was waiting, one of the Blade members in the pilot seat. 

“Here is a distress beacon and communication gear,” the captain said, handing him a strap to wrap around his wrist. “The button on the right will open up a communications channel with the ship and the button on the left will send out a distress call should you need help. You have to press the button twice in order to activate it and once you do, the entire strap will turn red.” 

Shiro locked the strap in place. 

“Ornell will be flying you down to the planet. You’ll approach on the far side of the planet to avoid detection from the Galra base. You’ll touch down near the ravine where we found Keith’s gear. The nearest settlement will be about a mile away. Any questions?” 

“None. I’m ready to go.” 

He nodded and waved Shiro into the pod. Ornell turned and nodded to him. 

“Get strapped in and I’ll get the pod ready to move.” 

Shiro sat in one of the seats against the wall and watched as the door shut, cutting them off from the rest of the ship. Krolia moved to the front of the group. 

“I’ll bring him back,” Shiro said, hoping she would understand. 

She nodded. 

The pod lurched and ejected from the ship, hurtling towards the atmosphere of the planet below. 

“We’re trusting you, you know,” Ornell said as he piloted around the planet, “to bring him back.” 

“I know,” Shiro murmured. “And I’m going to succeed. No matter what.” 

“I hope you’re right.” 

The rest of the ride was silent. It didn’t take long for them to touch down next to the ravine. The rear of the pod opened and Ornell looked at Shiro expectantly. He quickly unbuckled and jumped out of the back of the pod. 

Ornell closed the door and took off, leaving Shiro alone. Shiro looked over the rocky edge of the ravine, part of his brain saying that Keith could’ve fallen over the edge. He shook the thought away. There was no way Keith could die so easily. He wouldn’t let it be true.

He turned towards where the settlement would be located. The land was largely sparse, patches of foliage offering cover in few places. He began to walk, keeping an eye on the horizon for anyone that might approach. 

Just as the squat houses of the settlement came into view, Shiro saw a large group approaching him. He could tell they weren’t Galra, no doubt locals wondering if he was a threat. He continued forward, wanting to close the distance between them as quickly as possible. 

He froze when he saw them raise weapons as he approached. He raised his hands, hoping they would understand he didn’t mean any harm. 

“State your business,” a woman at the front said. 

“I’m looking for someone,” he said. “A friend of mine.” 

“Why should we believe you?” someone called. 

“Please,” Shiro said. “He’s thought to have been injured. He has black hair and purple eyes.” 

“Wait,” the first woman said, walking forward. The rest of the group didn’t put down their weapons. She stopped in front of him and squinted up at him, eyes roving over his face. She turned back to the group. “He looks like the other one.” 

“Other one? You mean you found him?” Shiro asked, nearly grabbing her arm in desperation. 

“We found someone yes,” she continued, glaring at the hand hovering in her direction. . 

“Can you take me to him? Is he okay? How bad are his injuries?” Shiro asked in a rush. 

“We’ve been healing him. He’s stable, but he was in very bad condition when we found him.” 

“Can I see him?” he pleaded. 

She was silent for a moment, staring deeply into his eyes. “Yes,” she conceded. “Come with us back to the village.” 

Shiro stuck close to the group as they walked back to the houses. Some of the other villagers gave him wary looks and kept their weapons pointed at him, but mostly let him be. 

They approached a squat house. They walked through a thick front door that was locked behind them and proceeded to the rear of the house. A door led to a set of stairs. Shiro looked at the woman who nodded. He started down the steps ahead of her and descended into the coolness below. When they reached the first door she told him to keep going and Shiro wondered how deep the bunker went as the stairs stretched into the darkness below. 

“This one,” she said, directing him through the next door they came to. 

He pushed it open and stepped inside, spotting a man sitting in a chair across from an older looking healing pod. Shiro froze when he took in the pod. Keith was inside, suspended in purple liquid. He was dressed in nothing but purple shorts, but that wasn’t what made Shiro’s throat tighten. 

One side of Keith’s ribs was caved in. He had cuts and burns covering his chest, arms, and legs. 

“What happened to him?” he choked out. 

The man in the chair turned to look at him, offering a sad smile. “He fell from the side of the Galra base. The best we were able to understand was that he was fighting against the whole army inside trying to get out. Thankfully I was in the right place at the right time and was able to bring him back here.” 

Shiro’s heart throbbed, upset beyond imagination that Keith had to go through so much pain. The understanding that Keith could’ve died was so much more real now that he saw the extent of his injuries. 

“How much longer does he have?” 

“A few days at least. He’s been in there for two already. He’ll let us know when he’s ready to come out.” 

Shiro walked over to the pod and placed a hand on the side, wanting nothing more than to wrap Keith in his arms and spirit him away back home. He cleared his throat, letting his hand fall away. He turned to the man. 

“Did you find a knife with him?”

“Why, yes I did,” he said, surprised. “When he fell unconscious I couldn’t even pull it from his grasp, he was clinging to it so tightly. It’s waiting for him when he wakes up.” 

“Unwilling to let it go, huh?” Shiro asked and chuckled slightly. He cut himself off and swallowed, ready to cry from a mixture of relief and sadness. Keith was safe. He was going to be okay. He couldn’t wait until he was awake so he could wrap him in his arms and feel his beating heart. “Excuse me for a minute.” 

He turned on his heel and walked back out into the stairwell, shutting the door behind him. He leaned against the wall, taking a few deep breaths before he would check in with the blade. If he was being honest he really didn’t need to tell them right away. They probably weren’t expecting him to find Keith so quickly. He could put it off for a little longer and steall a few more minutes for himself.... 

He shook his head and pressed the button on the right side of the bracelet he was given. They cared about Keith as much as he did. They were worried and scared and keeping them in the dark wouldn’t be fair. 

His bracelet pinged once. 

“Shiro?” Krolia asked. “Is everything okay?” 

“Everything’s fine. Um...I found Keith.” 

“You found him?! Already?” 

“Yes, I did. He’s...um...he was injured. Really badly. He’s in a healing pod right now and they think he still has a few days before he’ll be able to get out of it.” 

“Can we come see him?” 

“I-I don’t know. I can ask.” 

“We will only allow one person to come and go at a time,” a voice said behind him. 

He turned and found the woman who first escorted him standing behind him. 

“What?” he asked. 

“We will allow one person you brought with you to come down at a time. We’d rather not draw a large amount of attention here. Especially since I suspect the people you’re corresponding with are Galra.” 

Shiro stared at her. “How do you know that?” 

She smiled. “We saw an increased number of Galra activity. We thought it was interesting they weren’t wearing the usual garb of the Galra from the base, but we had no reason to trust they weren’t related.” 

“And you’re willing to trust me?” 

“I wouldn’t say we trust you since we hardly know you. But you do resemble the man they were attacking. He was kind to us and you haven’t given us reason to think you would hold a malicious motive against him in your heart. But if you are,” she said, smile falling from her face. “We won’t hesitate to bury you and your allies underground.” 

“Did you catch all of that Krolia?” Shiro asked, throat going dry. 

“Yes. I’m on my way down to see my son.” 

The feed ended and Shiro dropped his wrist, holding the woman’s gaze. 

“I guess I’ll go out to meet them,” she started up the stairs, leaving Shiro alone in the stairwell.

Shiro moved back into the room and the man who’d been observing Keith’s condition pulled a chair up for him and gestured for him to sit. He took it, exhausted after going through so many emotions in such a short period of time. 

~~

Shiro tiredly looked up when he heard footsteps behind him. Krolia stood in the doorway, looking at the healing pod with watery eyes. She turned to Shiro and hurried over to him, pulling him to his feet and into a tight hug. 

“Thank you,” she whispered into his ear. “Thank you so much, Shiro.” 

After a second of hesitation he squeezed her tightly. “It’s the least I could do.” 

She pulled back. “I can’t imagine how hard this must have been for you.” 

He frowned. “What do you mean?” 

“You love him.” 

Shiro felt like the floor dropped out from underneath him. “What?” he asked, his voice sounding far away to his ears. 

She sighed. “I know you love him. I could see it everytime the two of you were together.” 

“But...Keith…” he started weakly. 

She shook her head. “He didn’t know. He wouldn’t have believed me if I tried to tell him. He loves you, too, but was too scared to tell you. He didn’t want to lose you, just like I’m sure you didn’t want to risk losing him if you decided to confess.” 

Shiro felt uneasy, like any movement he made would send him spiraling down to who knew where. Maybe all of this was some horrible nightmare and Keith never got kidnapped. 

Krolia left him to his thoughts and stepped around him to approach the healing pod. 

Just like Shiro had done, she placed a hand on the pod, taking in Keith’s injured form. Shiro took his seat in the chair he’d been given and waited, knowing she needed more time than he ever would. 

After what felt like hours, she sucked in a shaky breath and turned to face Shiro. 

“I guess I should let the other Blades come down and see him. They would want to.” 

Shiro stood. “I should head back. Let more than one person come down.” 

Krolia shook her head. “Stay here with him. Keith would want you to be here.” 

“But what about you?” he protested. 

“I’ll catch up with him when he wakes up.” 

Shiro wanted to protest and tell her to stay, but part of him wanted to be selfish and stay with Keith until he was better. Another part of him was worried that if he left him, he would end up disappearing again and that was the last thing Shiro wanted. 

Krolia smiled as she walked past, almost as though she knew exactly what he was thinking.

~~ 

Shiro didn’t have an accurate sense of time over the next few days. There was a constant change of people in the bunker who came to visit Keith. Krolia came by more than once and Shiro always let her linger. 

He didn’t know about the rest of them, but he didn’t sleep much, always trying to catch some change in Keith’s condition, hoping the next hour would be the one where he would wake up and come back to them. 

The Blades didn’t speak much with him. There was nothing they could say at this point. All of them were stuck waiting. 

~~

An explosion shook the bunker around him and Shiro jolted to his feet. He looked at the elderly man next to him who stared back. 

Shiro sprinted from the bunker, taking the steps two at a time until he was back in the main part of the house. Most of the inhabitants of the settlement were outside staring in the distance. Shiro hurried outside to join them and followed their gazes. He watched as the Galra base looming over them in the distance crumbled and fell in a cloud of dust. 

Shiro pressed the button on the right side of his bracelet and waited impatiently for it to connect. 

“Shiro?” Krolia answered. “What is it?” 

“The Galra base just collapsed. It looks like it was attacked. What’s going on?” 

She sighed. “Most of us were getting anxious waiting for Keith to wake up. We decided to use the info he’d collected when he was infiltrating the base to finally take it down. We were going to do it anyway, but we thought it would be fitting to enact a small bit of revenge against the people who hurt him.” 

Shiro was quiet, a little stunned by the news. A smile pulled at his lips and he chuckled, feeling a little tighter than he had since Krolia had told him Keith was missing. He wasn’t sure how Keith was going to feel about it when he found out, but it certainly gave the rest of them closure in the face of what happened. 

“I guess I’ll let you do your thing then.” 

“Go back inside, Shiro,” Krolia said, voice light. “Keith’s waiting for you.” 

“Talk later.” 

He ended the call and returned to the house, the gawkers not giving him a sparing glance as they watched the flaming pile rubble. 

His body felt heavy as he descended the steps, the adrenaline shock and his lack of sleep catching up with him. The bunker was empty when he returned. Shiro walked over to look over Keith. He was looking much better than when he first saw him. His ribs were normal again and most of the cuts were healed. 

“I think it might be time.” 

Shiro turned, finding the old man behind him. He looked back at Keith. 

“Really?” he croaked. 

He nodded and moved over to the pod. “Grab those towels. He’s going to need to be cleaned off. You can take him to the cot once he’s out of suspension.” 

Shiro hurried over to the stack of towels and piled them into his arms. He waited impatiently as the purple liquid slowly drained from the container, leaving Keith’s hair plastered to his head. He remained suspended even when the door was pulled open. 

Shiro was waved inside. He carefully stepped into the pod and took Keith into his arms, the suspension breaking once they stepped out of the cylinder. Shiro carried him over to the cot and cleaned him off, pulling the blanket over him to keep him warm as they waited for him to wake. 

After a moment of hesitation, he took a seat at the head of the cot and cradled Keith’s head in his lap. 

Shiro became uneasy as the minutes dragged on and Keith still didn’t wake up. He wanted to see those violet eyes again. He wanted to hear his snark and share a drink or go racing over the desert like they used to. 

He wanted to take Keith to see the stars they hadn’t managed to touch yet and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with him. 

“Wake up,” he whispered. “Please, wake up, Keith. I need you to wake up. Please. Please, don’t leave me.” 

Keith shifted and groaned. Shiro held his breath, watching Keith’s eyebrows furrow before he managed to open his eyes. He blinked, trying to clear his vision before he focused on Shiro above him. 

“Shiro?” he croaked. “What are you doing here?” 

Shiro laughed, tears clouding his vision. He framed Keith’s face with his hands and ducked his head, slotting their lips together before he could even think about what he was doing. 

“Okay,” Keith continued when they broke apart, eyes lingering shut for a moment longer. “I must be dreaming because there’s no way you would kiss me in real life.” 

“You’re not dreaming,” Shiro said, helping him sit up. “You’re alive. I came looking for you because you’re an idiot who got caught by the Galra.” 

“Rude,” he scoffed. “I didn’t do that on purpose. Now, stop lecturing me in my sleep.” 

Shiro huffed and activated his bracelet. 

“Shiro?” Krolia answered. 

“Keith’s awake.” 

There was a beat of silence. 

“We’ll be right there.” 

Keith side-eyed him. “Well, dream-Shiro, you wouldn’t possibly have some food I could have, would you?” 

“Um…” He turned towards the man watching them. 

“I’ll be right back.” 

“I’m not a dream,” Shiro said, turning back to him. 

“I don’t believe you. You’re supposed to be on Earth,” Keith continued. 

“The Blades told me you were in trouble. I came to help look for you.” 

“I wish you would actually do that in real life,” he sighed, leaning back against the wall behind him. He crossed his arms and stared at the ceiling, not seeming to be bothered by the lack of clothes he was wearing. “Although, since none of this is real, we might as well make out some more before I get pulled back to the reality where you most certainly don’t like me in that way.” 

“Do you think about that often?” Shiro asked, feeling a little breathless as his curiosity got the better of him. “Us kissing?” 

Keith’s fingers found their way into the back of his undercut. His eyelids drooped, a fire Shiro had never seen before flared in his eyes. He leaned forward, their lips a breath apart. 

“What would you do if I said yes?” he asked. 

Shiro’s throat went dry. He closed the last distance between them, hungry to feel Keith’s lips on his. Keith guided the kiss, forcing Shiro’s head back to deepen it. Shiro felt like he was drowning in Keith, wanting to touch and taste every part of him. 

He wanted to know how many times Keith dreamt of this. It was almost like he knew every inch of his mouth already. 

“I’m glad to see you both finally confessed.” 

Shiro broke the kiss, finding Krolia standing in the doorway with the rest of the Blades behind her. He looked away and pressed the back of his hand to his mouth, his face burning. 

“Mom?” Keith asked. 

She nodded and moved Shiro’s chair to sit in front of him, letting his caregiver hand him the tray of food he’d prepared. 

“What do you remember?” she asked. 

“I was given a mission to infiltrate the base. Something went wrong and they chased me. That’s it.” He shrugged and tucked into the food in front of him. 

“You were severely injured by the Galra at the base on this planet. You fell from a window and would’ve died if the locals hadn’t found you.” 

Keith paused and glanced up at her as she continued. 

“They brought you back here and have been treating you for several days. Up until now, you’ve been in a healing pod as the damage was repaired. We asked Shiro for help in finding you and he travelled out here. He had more success making contact with the locals and has been giving us updates on your condition until you were woken up today.” 

Keith cleared his throat. “What happened to the base?” 

“We destroyed it.” 

“And my knife?” 

“Over here,” the man said, pulling it from a locked box. 

Keith took it from his hands, carefully testing the familiar weight in his hands. “So, I’m not dreaming?” 

“No,” Krolia confirmed. 

“This is all real.” 

“Yes.” 

Keith glanced at Shiro and set his food to the side. “I’m not hungry anymore,” he groaned, burying his face in his hands. 

“I think we’ll leave you two alone,” Krolia said. She smiled at Shiro who grimaced and ushered the rest of the Blades from the room. 

“I kissed you,” Keith mumbled. “I’m not dreaming and I actually kissed you.” 

Shiro cleared his throat, feeling his face heat up more. “Technically, I kissed you first.” 

Keith straightened so fast he almost headbutted Shiro. “That’s right,” he said, turning to face Shiro with wide eyes. “Why did you kiss me?” 

Shiro took a deep breath and met Keith’s eyes. He’d come this far, this wasn’t the time to back down. “Because I love you.” 

“What?” Keith asked, staring at him. 

“I love you. I should’ve told you sooner, but when I got the news you were missing I was devastated. I knew I couldn’t sit back and do nothing, so...here I am.” 

“You love me?” Keith asked. 

Shiro bit his lip and nodded. 

Keith carefully framed Shiro’s face in his hands and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. He leaned their foreheads together and took a deep breath. 

“I love you, too. I have for a long time.” 

Shiro wrapped his arms around Keith’s waist, pulling him closer. 

“You saved me, Shiro,” he whispered. 

“No,” he breathed. “We saved each other.” 

Keith grinned, looking at ease and happy and, most importantly, healthy and whole. Shiro smiled back and pulled Keith back in for another kiss, content to never let him go again. 

**Author's Note:**

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> 
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